


Let's join forces (We've got our guns and horses)

by Drhair76



Series: Reparo [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Dursley Family (Harry Potter), BAMF Ginny Weasley, Blaise Zabini is a Good Friend, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Draco's hair gets dragged, Gen, Good Theodore Nott, Harry Potter Has a Pet Snake, Harry Potter Has a Saving People Thing, Hurt Harry Potter, ITS BECAUSE HE LOVES HIS FRIENDS!, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lesbian Pansy Parkinson, Lucius Malfoy's A+ Parenting, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Theodore might actually fight the chamber because it fucked with harry, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but like. without all the plot points, don't worry ginny's got it, draco: ive never had a sister before, ginny: :D, hermione is lowkey bullied, im srry. i just love ronald weasley with everything in me, it's abt 70 percent of the fic i swear, it's coming!, like a lot, no ships yet, pansy: imma fuck you up draco, ron: its an annual thing, ron: the king of compliments, theodore: uh. why is harry almost dying again, we have to deal with their trauma first!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-19 04:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22005037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drhair76/pseuds/Drhair76
Summary: Draco's father sneered. "You'll get it when you get it. Do not push me today."Draco inhaled so loud and sharply that Harry heard it and that was all that it took for Harry to come to a decision.No one, not even his worst enemy, deserved that.in which, harry sees something he isn't supposed to, saves his nemesis, gets a family, and breaks down barriers all in the span of a week. (He also fights a Basilisk and saves his school- but that's about normal at this point)
Relationships: Daphne Greengrass & Draco Malfoy & Theodore Nott & Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley & Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger & Harry Potter & Ron Weasley, Millicent Bulstrode & Ron Weasley, Millicent Bulstrode/Pansy Parkinson, Susan Bones & Ginny Weasley
Series: Reparo [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1583983
Comments: 46
Kudos: 277





	1. I know you've been burned

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Chamber of Secrets and Half the Adults are Idiots](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13557357) by [Des98](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Des98/pseuds/Des98). 



> this is just an excuse for me to write supportive and protective friends,,,,,,its purely self indulgent

It all happened quick. 

He flooed himself to the exact place he wasn't meant to go and- covered in soot and ash, with a pair of broken glasses- found himself on the cusp of being discovered by Malfoy. 

He swiveled, looking for something to hide him when he saw it. A large enough black cabinet. 

Memories of a tight squeeze, a dusty ceiling, of darkness all the time, every day crowded his head but he scrambled for it, pushing himself inside. He left open a small crack, telling himself it was so he could _spy_ , not because of the intense pressure of fear on his chest that made him feel like a weak seven year old. 

The man with Malfoy-who must've been Draco's father- rang a bell on the counter. "Touch nothing." He said sternly. 

His voice made Harry stiffen and Draco tense up. And Harry didn't need much more than that to _know_. 

Draco nodded. "I thought you were going to buy me a present?" 

His voice was higher than Harry had ever heard it- fit with that undertone of hope mixed terribly with fear that Harry adopted when talking to Petunia Dursley. 

When he would ask her for just a _bit_ more time to finish his chores, when he would ask if he could sit on their furniture, when he would ask for more information on his parents. 

All his questions ended the same way. 

Draco's father sneered. "You'll get it when you _get_ it. Do not push me today." 

Draco inhaled so loud and sharply that _Harry_ heard it and that was all that it took for Harry to come to a decision. 

No one _,_ not even his worst enemy, deserved that. 

He burst out of the cabinet, scaring the hex out of Malfoy and his father, but Harry didn't hesitate to curl his hand around Draco's wrist and tug him out of the shop and into a sprint. 

Draco was obviously confused and shocked but still pushed himself to keep up with the quick wild haired boy. Harry ducked under an aged wizard who was reaching for him and pulled Draco into a hidden alleyway. 

They both pressed their backs against the cobblestone, their chests heaving and their hands still gripping one another. 

"Potter," Draco panted, "What the bloody hell is-" 

Harry let go of Draco's wrist and placed his hands on his knees, fighting to breathe. It was still quite close to the summer season for Harry- all this physical activity with no consistent nourishment spelled out disaster. 

Draco watched him with wide eyes. He moved, placing two hands on either of Harry's shoulders. 

"Potter? Sit up, you need to breathe." Draco pushed him up a bit. "You play Quidditch- put your hands on your _head."_

Harry, thankfully, listens and his breathing slows. 

"Thanks Malfoy." He pants. 

Draco narrows his eyes. "Why am I standing in this alley with you?" 

Harry keeps his eyes on Draco's hair, ignoring his searching blue eyes. 

"Because-" Harry pauses. "I heard. And, I know." 

Draco jolts a bit and opened his mouth to respond but there is thundering footsteps and loud, sharp, angry voice calling for the both of them. Well, not so much calling as he's just yelling out threat after threat of spell that Harry's never heard of before. 

Draco pressed back against the wall, close to Harry and Harry wasted no time in pulling out his wand and standing in front of him. 

Harry may not be able to stand up to his uncle, but Draco's father was just a thin wizard with _Rapunzel_ hair. Harry's faced down Voldemort _twice-_ an angry wizard with a perm was _nothing._

"Draco, you better come here for so help me I will _crucio_ you till you can't-" Mr. Malfoy catches sight of Harry with Draco, who now had a hand curled into the back of Harry's cloak. " _Potter._ I suggest you run along and find someone else save; he's coming with me." 

Now, Harry didn't know what a _crucio_ was. All he knew was that it made Draco shake and that alone filled Harry with enough righteous anger and Gryffindor bravery to face down _ten_ Mr. Malfoys if he needed to. 

"No." Harry said firmly. 

The man's eye twitched. " _No_?" 

"No." Harry repeated. 

He raised his wand, and that familiar glint appeared in his eyes. The one Vernon had when he'd advance with the belt, or the one Petunia had when she grabbed the frying pan. Harry's seen it all his life- it was nothing new. That malicious need to hurt another. 

Harry merely tensed- setting his feet in preparation. 

"Avad-" 

" _Harry_!"

Harry's eyes widen as Fred and George came running, followed closely by Hagrid. George stepped in front of Harry with his wand out and Fred ran at Mr. Malfoy, an furious look on his face. 

"How _dare_ you?" He growled and the blond man stumbled back, his vicious look gone. "The _killing_ curse? They're _children!"_

"You ought to be in Azkaban!" Hagrid shouted. 

Harry stepped back a little, keeping Draco steady behind him. Now that there were people he _trusted_ around he could relax. He felt Draco's arm snake down so he was holding his wrist. 

"We're gonna be alright." Harry whispered to the shaking Malfoy as they watched his father be taken away in magically cuffs. "It's going to be okay. I've got you." 

...

Ron doesn't know what to think when he sees his best friend, covered in soot and wearing broken glasses, holding hands with Draco, who was looking mighty worse for wear with pale skin and wide nervous eyes. 

Fred's got that look about him. That _I'm-going-to-protect-Harry-Potter-with-everything-I-have-in-me_ look that almost all off the Weasleys have worn at some point. George is talking quietly to Harry and Draco, speaking in soothing tones that he uses whenever Ron wakes with nightmares of his first year. 

His mum runs off first, her hands fluttering about at Harry before her eyes set on Hagrid and he begins to explain things at a volume that couldn't really be considered quiet. 

Ron rushed forward, having eyes only for Harry. 

"Harry- what's going on? Where'd you go? Why's Malfoy-" 

Ron sees Harry's hand tighten around Draco's wrist. "Ron," He says. "Draco's dad is not good." 

That was the tone Harry had taken up last night when he tried to explain delicately exactly _why_ there had been bars on his windows and a cat flap on his door. Of course, none of them took it easily- with George and Fred rushing off to make plans for _presents_ for the Dursleys and Ron needing to take Harry back down to their kitchen to give him just a little more food. 

Ron's gaze flickered to Draco, who was trying his best to look dignified with his head held high and his face determined, but Ron, who had recently become apt at seeing things that were supposed to be hidden, saw the way his hands shook. 

Ron trusted Harry so he smiled easily. "Okay, you wanna meet my sister?" 

...

Ginny Weasley was a firecracker. 

She'd give you a dressing down faster than her mother and was _not_ afraid to stand up to all six of her brothers if it meant to get what she wanted and she'd _win._

Draco liked her. 

She stares up at him with narrowed eyes and scoffs. 

"Your hair is stupid." 

"Ginerva!" Molly chastises from the kitchen, over Ron, Fred and George's giggles. 

"I'm just _saying!"_ She exclaimed, her face going a bit red. 

Draco watched Harry stifle a laugh and figured that he deserved that. 

"Should I dye it red?" He asked, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. 

Ron snorted- water shooting out of his nose and all over Ginny, who immediately punched him in the shoulder. 

"You should!" Harry nodded, smiling with his whole body, like it was the best idea he'd ever heard. For a second, Draco flashed back to when Harry was protecting him with all he had and the killing curse was being aimed straight for him- 

"Hey," Harry nudged Draco like they were friends. "If you dye your hair Weasley red, I'll dye mine Malfoy blond!" 

Draco barked out a laugh and the Twins collapsed into giggles because Ron's eyes were giant and watching Harry with a horrified expression. 

"Harry, we couldn't be best friends anymore if you _ever-"_

"Hey! What's wrong with Malfoy blond!" Ginny piped up good-naturedly. She grinned at Draco. "Harry'd look dashing in it!" 

Harry blinked and Ron spluttered. "No doubt! Harry'd look dashing in just about anything! But, Ginny, you _just said_ Malfoy's hair was stupid!" 

Draco got the pleasure of seeing Harry's face flush and Ginny shrugged, tossing her hair over her shoulder. 

"Well," She cut her eyes to Draco, a considering smile on her face. "People change." 

There was a pause in which George and Fred exchanged a look, Harry beamed and Draco offered up a nervous grin before Ron scoffed. 

"O _kay,_ but not about blond _hair!"_


	2. it's time to come clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pansy is quiet for a moment. 
> 
> "Your relatives are-" She pauses, "-not nice?" 
> 
> "Very not nice." Harry nods. 
> 
> or, pansy and harry bond over their shared love for Draco, Ginny might have murdered someone and Harry gets a pet snake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i,,,,,took a LOT of liberties with ginny because I want her to be absolutely feral so,,,,,,,,,
> 
> (also, last chapter of the decade aksksks)

The school year came about pretty quickly after that. 

A lot was the same- Harry sat with Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the Twins at lunch, they fooled around in classes (at least until Hermione had her way) and they tried their best to have fun. 

But, adding on to that, there was a lot that was different- Draco was simultaneously one less thing to worry about and one more thing to worry about, there was a dreadful excuse for a DADA teacher in their school and _something_ was going around petrifying students at the school. 

Also, the Slytherins somehow decided that they were all going to be apart of 'Harry Potter's people' now. 

"There's just something about you mate." Ron shrugged one evening. "It just makes people want to protect you." 

Harry's nose had wrinkled. He didn't fancy that at _all._ Nevertheless, Pansy declared herself Potter's friend and that, apparently, was that.

...

"You need a nickname." Pansy hummed, squinting at Ron from the table next to them. 

Harry looked up from where he was trying to decipher his potions book to snigger at Hermione and Ron's matching dumbfounded looks. 

"A nickname?" Ron asked. 

Draco nodded as he sprinkled some root of toad into his cauldron. "Mhm. It's what she does. Everyone gets a nickname- even when they don't need it." 

"But-" Hermione frowned. "Ron's name is one syllable." 

Ron nodded and Pansy shrugged. "So?" 

"What Granger is saying is that giving him a nickname would defeat the purpose- it would be more work." Malfroy drawled. 

Pansy rolled her eyes. "So? I'm not lazy, I'm creative." She huffed. "Besides, Harry can't stay Potter forever." 

"I don't mind being called Potter." Harry shrugged. "Although, I've never had a nickname before." 

_Except if you count_ boy _from Uncle Vernon_ , Harry thought bitterly. As if she knew what he was thinking, Hermione gently bumped her hip against his own. 

Draco tilted his head. "Hmm. Maybe. Alright Pans, go on then- dazzle us." 

Pansy rolled her eyes again. "Thank you for your permission Draco." She deadpanned.

"You're very welcome." He smirked. 

"How about..." She looked at Harry with a considering look. "...Ronny?" 

Ron grimaced and Harry snorted. 

Pansy's eyes lit up at his laugh. 

"Ronny it is then!" 

"Wait, wait wait-" 

"What's your nickname Draco?" Hermione asked, sounding genuinely curious. 

Draco smiled like he couldn't help it, something soft and a bit proud and Harry wonder _how on Earth he ever could've thought all Slytherins were evil?_

"Dragon." 

Hermione cooed a bit and Pansy grinned and for the rest of class all Harry did was rib Ron with his new nickname with a light feeling in his chest that _might_ have been happiness. 

...

"How did you know?" Pansy asks one evening. 

It's a saturday so they all decided to head down to the Quidditch Pitch to do some lazy flying- Draco's giving the Weasleys turns on the new broom his mom sent him while Hermione and Daphne Greengrass pour over their books to find as much as they could about this supposed _Chamber of Secrets._

"Know?" Harry questioned. He absently notes how graceful Ginny is when she flies- how carefree and liberated she looks. 

She's been looking a bit _down_ these past few days. Especially since her friend Susan Bones had been becoming increasingly reclusive. Well, as reclusive as you could be with classes every week. 

Pansy turns over in the grass so she's on her stomach and propped up on her elbows. "Yeah, know. About Draco." 

Harry hums. Ron does a couple loops in the air and he can hear Hermione and Daphne gasp about something while pages are rapidly turned. 

"He's not the only one with terrible guardians." Harry says, sounding breathless even though he took his turn flying ages ago. 

Pansy is quiet for a moment. 

"Your relatives are-" She pauses, "-not nice?" 

"Very not nice." Harry nods. 

Ginny tells Ron to come down so Draco can get back on and Harry isn't surprised at all when Ron immediately drops to the grass. 

"Thank you Har. For noticing. For saving him." 

It's so soft that Harry almost missed it. But he didn't. He turned his head to look at Pansy as she watches Draco spin through the air. 

Harry doesn't say anything back. He doesn't have too. 

...

Hermione runs into the common room with tears on her face and Harry finds himself with an armful of a crying girl. 

"H-hermione?" Harry hesitantly wrapped his arms around the dark skinned girl and rubbed her back. "Are you- what's wrong?" 

She buries her head in the crook of Harry's neck, still sniffling and that's how Ron, Ginny and Draco find them later- Harry still holding her and Hermione decidedly _not_ telling him what was wrong. 

Ginny looks livid, her face almost as red as her hair and Ron watches Hermione sob with a pained look on his face. Draco was pacing, tapping his wand against his other hand, looking thoughtful and tense. 

Harry felt like he was in some sort of a fever dream- with Hermione crying and Draco in the Gryffindor common room and everyone acting like it was _normal._

Maybe it was. 

But Hermione crying? Definitely not. 

Harry gently sat so both him and Hermione were comfortable on the couch. Ron immediately sat on Hermione's other side and pulled her over so Harry could talk to Ginny and Draco. 

"What's happened?" He asked. "What's got Hermione so upset?" 

Ginny turns, her wand sprouting red sparks, her teeth bared. "They called her a _mudblood_!" 

Harry sees Hermione flinch and Ron's arms tighten around her and Draco runs a stressed hand through his hair and Harry figures that it must be a big deal. 

"What's that mean?" He asked. He had a pretty solid idea but- 

Draco stopped his pacing and twisted his fingers together. "Mudblood means dirty blood. It's a derogatory term for someone who's muggle born." 

Hermione pulled away from Ron and wiped her face. "Someone with non magic parents. Like me." 

Draco nodded. "My father would preach on and on about pure bloodlines and how muggle borns and half bloods aren't _real_ wizards." 

Ron scoffed. "That's rubbish! Hermione's one of the best and brightest witches I know!" 

"Yeah, there's never been a spell that Hermione couldn't master!" Harry said, crossing his arms over his chest. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione duck her head slightly. 

Draco nodded. "I know. Apparently, some people don't get it." 

"Who was it?" Harry asked. "I wouldn't mind telling them off a bit." 

"Oh don't worry-" Ginny growled. "I told them off enough for the five of us." 

"You might need to go back- once Pans, Milli and Daph hear about this they'll be livid." Draco said surely. 

"Well, then, I guess I better learn some new hexes." 

...

"I learned a new spell! Come here, I want to try it out!" 

Harry allowed Pansy to tug him into the Slytherin common room where Draco, Blaise and Millicent were all lounging. Harry felt a bit out of place but Draco grinned at him so Harry shrugged it off. 

Pansy pushed him a bit so he was in front of her. "Alright, don't freak out." 

Harry narrowed his eyes. "This isn't going to turn my hair blond is it?" 

Draco pouted. "What's _wrong_ with blond hair?" 

"Oh nothing dear," Millicent offered, patting at Draco's head. "It's alright on you. Harry'd look dreadful in it." 

"Ron thought I'd look dashing." Harry protested. 

"Ron thinks you look dashing in everything." Pansy said with an eyeroll. "Anyway, watch this! _Serpensortia!"_

There was a brief flash and suddenly there was a red and white colored snake directly in front of Harry. 

"Woah!" Blaise gasped and Pansy smirked. 

"Dragon taught me. Don't worry Harry, he isn't venomous." 

The snake slithered closer to Harry. _Hello._

Harry blinked. _Oh. Hello. Uh- do you have a name?_

The snake's tongue flickered out between it's teeth. _Name? No._

" _Harry_?" 

Harry looked up to see all the Slytherins watching him with wide eyes and shocked faces. Pansy kept looking from the snake to Harry like she couldn't believe what she was seeing and Draco's jaw was practically on the floor. 

"What? What's wrong?" 

"Y-You speak Parseltongue?" Blaise gaped. "Holy _shit."_

"What's Parseltongue?" 

"What you were just doing!" Pansy said gesturing to the snake.

Harry looked down at the snake, who was looking back up at him. _What are they freaking out about?_

_I don't know._ Harry replied. Then he turned back to Draco. "You're telling me not everyone can speak to snakes?" 

They all shook their heads and Harry groaned. Great, another things about him that was _different._

"Have you been able to do this for forever?" Daphne asked, looking at Harry like he was a new specimen. Sort of the way that Hermione looked at a new textbook. 

"Uh- I guess so? I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once." 

" _Dudley_?" Blaise repeated. 

"A _Python_?" Draco exclaimed. 

"Only once!" 

"Holy hell Potter, you might be cooler than I thought." Millicent chuckled. 

"...I'm gonna take that as a compliment." 

"You should." 

That day, Harry left the Slytherin common room with a red and white milk snake which he dubbed Candy Cane and a load of news for his best friends. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blaise: the fuck is a Dudley?
> 
> (also harry naming his snake candy cane is one of the best things I've ever written, idc)


	3. you move so fast, makes me feel lazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'll be alright, focus on the other Bludger." 
> 
> "Wood, if Harry dies because of this, I'm going to kill you." Fred sighs. 
> 
> or, harry breaks some bones, Lockhart's an idiot, Snape might be making an effort and Fred is plotting a murder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> omg I cAnT bELiEvE I hAvEnT uPdAtED tHiS iN a yEaR sidjdj

Harry groaned as Slytherin scored yet _again_.

Lee Jordan shouted out, "Slytherin leads ninty to thirty" and Harry knew he needed to find the snitch. Just because he was friends with basically half the house at this point, didn't mean he wanted to _lose._

Besides, friendly competition right? What could go wrong? 

Draco pulls up besides him with a grin. "Have you seen it yet?" 

"The snitch?" 

"Yeah, I was hoping you could tell me so I'd at least have a chance to take it!" 

Harry rolls his eyes and Draco laughs. There's a slight whistling come from behind him and Harry pulls up, Draco follows suit and Wood knocks the Bludger away. 

"Alright Harry?" He asks. "Stay sharp!" 

Harry's eyes widen as the Bludger turns and makes its was back towards Wood. 

"Wood! Watch out-" 

It hits the front of his broom, knocking him off and Harry has not choice but to fly to avoid it hitting him. Fred and George zoomed up to meet him, trying their best to beat the Bludger into submission, but it seemed to be magnetically attracted to Harry- which, of course, spelled out bad news in the form of a possible broken _nose_. 

"We need a time _out!"_ Geogre yelled, just narrowly missing getting smacked by the Bludger. 

Hooch blew her whistle and Harry instantly swooped for the ground, thankful for a second to breath. He hurried to the rest of his team. 

"Someone's fixed the Bludger!" Fred said before Wood could even open his mouth. "It's only going at Harry!" 

"But...who could've-" 

"Does it matter?" Fred exclaimed. "It's dangerous! We should ask for an inquiry!" 

Harry could see Madame Hooch walking towards them and over her shoulder, Draco was watching him worriedly. 

"I won't be able to see the snitch with you two surrounding me." Harry said. Fred grit his teeth and George shook his head, already seeing where Harry was going, but it _had_ to be done. "I'll be alright, focus on the other Bludger." 

"Wood, if Harry dies because of this, I'm going to kill you." Fred sighs. 

George placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You sure?" 

"Yeah," Alicia chimed in. "We can always forfeit- there'll be other games." 

Harry nodded. "I'm sure." 

Madame Hooch tapped Wood's shoulder. "Are you ready to resume play?" 

Wood's eyes flicker from Fred's angry look, to George's worried one, to Harry's determined one and he nodded. 

"Yeah. Fred, George, let Harry be. He says he's got it." 

...

Harry did _not_ have it. 

It was taking much more efforttwisting around to avoid the ball that it would if he just let it hit him. Unfortunately, Harry couldn't be sure whether the Bludger would stop coming for him if he let it smack him once. 

Also, he didn't want Fred to murder Wood. 

So Harry flew all around the stadium to avoid the stupid ball all while trying his best to keep his eyes peeled for the golden flash of the snitch. 

He takes a moment to pause and watches at the Bludger comes straight at him. He waits until the last possible minute- as in a possible broken _face-_ before diving down then wooshing forward. 

"Harry!" Draco yells, flying next to him. "Is that Bludger coming _at_ you?"

"Yeah- it's been tampered with!" Harry dodges the ball again, looks back at Draco and almost gasps out loud. The snitch is right by his ear! 

Draco's frowning and Harry holds steady so he doesn't notice the snitch, but suddenly Draco's looking at him with alarm and saying, "Harry, duck-" 

The Bludger comes speeding at him and hits him and Harry feels his arm break. He almost loses balance and lets go from the pain but thankfully he doesn't. 

The Bludger comes curling back around for a second hit and Harry thought _fuck that_ and swerved, heading straight towards Draco. 

Draco yelps and dips down and Harry grasps for the snitch with his not broken arm. Unfortunately, that leaves Harry with no arms to hold on with and he falls to the ground. 

He hears Draco yell his name before he hits the dirt with a groan. 

Harry takes a look at the Golden Snitch in his hand and manages a grin before passing out. 

He comes to to see Draco, Hermione and Ron standing over him and Gilderoy Lockhart watching him closely. 

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asks, looking close to tears. 

Harry moves to sit up and winces. "Ah- no, I think my arm is broken." 

Draco's face goes pale and Harry sees Fred punch Wood in the arm. 

"Not to worry Harry!" Lockhart nods. "I'll fix that arm up straight away!" 

"Not you!" Draco and Harry both exclaim together. 

Lockhart shakes his head, a nervous smile tugging at his lips. "You poor children, you don't even know what you're saying. _Brackium Emendo!"_

Harry winced and looked away, his arm felt _horrible_ and Harry almost half wished for the pain to come back. 

"W-what the-" He heard Ron gasp and Harry peaked an eye open to look.

And he almost passed out again. 

His arm looked like a large flesh _glove._ As in _rubber._ His bone was _gone._

"Ah, well. Yes." Lockhart hummed, nodding a bit. "That does happen sometimes." 

"What do you _mean?"_ Hermione screeched, looking absolutely mad. "His bone is _gone!"_

Harry whimpered a bit and Ron and Draco helped him up. 

"Come on," Draco muttered, not looking at him. "We need to go to Pomfrey. _Now."_

...

"Potter, I can't believe you let him fix your arm." 

Harry sniffs at his Skele-grow and sighs. "S'not like he gave me much of a choice in the matter." 

Pansy huffs. " _I_ could've fixed your arm better!" 

"No doubt."

"You should've called for an inquiry." Draco says, nudging Harry's leg with his foot. 

Harry shrugs. "And let you win? Never." 

Draco rolls his eyes but Harry can see his fond smile. Hermione and Pansy both shake their head. 

"Thay might've been your best catch yet though!" Ron exclaims. "It was wicked to watch!" 

Harry laughs. "I'm glad- it definitely didn't _feel_ wicked." 

"Well," Snape says, walking over to Harry's bed. Ron's eyes widened and he stepped back to make room. "That's most likely due to the fact that you let a dullard attempt to fix a broken bone. Next time, I implore you to look towards one of your more _competent_ professors. Of course, I am always available." 

Harry blinked and Hermione and Ron exchanged shocked looks. 

"Oh, um, thank you Professor?" 

Snape hummed and gave Draco a look. "Come along Malfoy, we should talk." 

Draco nodded and gave the trio one last smile before following Snape out of the room. Pansy watched them go with an indecipherable look on her face before standing. 

"Come on guys, we should go before Pomfrey kicks us out." 

Hermione nodded and stood but Ron leaned down conspiratorially. 

"Since when have we been civil with _Snape_?" 

Harry shrugged. Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed Ron. 

"Heal quick Harry!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> protective twins gives me life. also, harry is such a jock oml


	4. but I wish I could feel it all for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well, Pansy and Blaise were telling me about how they'd sometimes sneak to the kitchens. I mean, I was thinking-" 
> 
> "'Moine, you want to break a rule?" Ron asked excitedly. Harry stifled a laugh and Hermione smiled sheepishly. "What are these slytherins doing to our Hermione?"

Once Harry had his bones back, found out who exactly got his arm broken in the first place and relayed all the information to his growing gaggle of friends, he was quite tired of all the drama. 

"We should do something fun." Hermione offered because she seemed to always know just when Harry needed to relax. 

"Like what?" Ron asked, jostling Harry a bit so he had to move his head from Ron's shoulder. He sent Harry an apologetic look but Harry waved him off. "More homework?"

"No Ron," She scoffed. Then she paused. "Although, you really should finish up your Charms essay- having work done early is-" 

"Yeah, I know." Ron groaned. "Having work done early is easier. S'not much _fun_ , now is it?" 

Harry quickly intervened because it looked like Hermione wanted to argue. "What did you have in mind?" 

Hermione blushed a bit and looked away. "Well, Pansy and Blaise were telling me about how they'd sometimes sneak to the kitchens. I mean, I was thinking-" 

"'Moine, you want to break a rule?" Ron asked excitedly. Harry stifled a laugh and Hermione smiled sheepishly. "What are these slytherins _doing_ to our Hermione?" 

Harry grinned. "I don't know, I kind of like it." 

...

The house elves are excited to serve them even though it's practically midnight and there are _eight_ of them- but Harry takes one look at them- small, skinny, dressed in rags with wide, awe-filled eyes that only want to please- and can't help thinking of a boy in a cupboard with a shirt seven sizes too large and a stomach growling in hunger. 

"How about I cook something?" Harry offers, looking around at the shiny kitchen, his hands nearly twitching with excitement to try out the possibly magical appliances. 

Draco frowned, smacking at Crabbe's hand when he reached to touch one of the glimmering pots. "Potter, that's what the house elves are for." 

Hermione cross her arms over her chest. "And that means he can't try to cook something?" 

"No," Blaise cuts in, "it just means that _normally_ the house elves do it." 

"Wait, I'm kind of curious." Pansy smirks, leaning up against the wooden counter. "You know how to cook?" 

Harry turns away from the group and reaches to open the cabinets, studying what was inside. "Um, yeah. My aunt- Petunia Dursley- would always have me cook for them. Clean for them. Tend to the garden. Dudley didn't- well, he didn't have to." 

Pansy's smirk dropped and Ron's eyes widened. 

"Like, meals?" Hermione asked. "With a _stove_? They didn't care that you could get _burned?"_

"What was so special about Dudley that he didn't have to clean?" Draco huffed. 

"Everytime I hear more about these muggles, I wanna hex them." Pansy growled. "Why hasn't anyone hexed them yet?"

Harry shrugged- at which question, no one was sure- and began pulling down some flour and sugar. Draco and Pansy exchanged furious looks but Ron sighed, catching sight of the tension in Harry's shoulders. 

He stepped up and pulled Harry into a hug. Harry stiffened at first, before folding into his arms easily. He buried his head into Ron's shoulder and sniffled. Hermione was quick to join in, hugging from behind, enclosing him in a circle of love. 

"That wasn't right Harry." She whispered. "They shouldn't have had you cook their meals and do _all_ their housework. You weren't their _servant."_

"Yeah mate," Ron frowned, subconsciously tightening his hold. "You should've been treated like a normal kid. You should've been treated _right._ Properly loved." 

Harry nodded, absently thinking about how this simple hug was a million times morethan what he deserved. He should be grateful- Aunt Petunia always said that they didn't _have_ to take him in. And here he was, complaining about it and getting _hugged_ from doing so. 

The rest of them watched the trio with sad eyes. Blaise tilted his head then nudged Pansy. She gave him a look- _what are you planning-_ before he stepped forward. 

"Harry, you don't have to cook us anything." He said softly. Harry looked up and opened his mouth to protest but Blaise continued. "And neither do the house elves if it makes you uncomfortable." 

"Then what did we come down here for?" Goyle asked. 

"Maybe Harry can teach us how to cook like muggles do!" 

Harry blinked. "You- you'd want to learn?" 

Blaise nodded and the rest of them followed suit. Ron grinned excitedly. 

"If you feel up to it, of course." Hermione tacked on as she let him out of their hug- always giving Harry an out if he didn't _want_ to. But, going by Harry's smile, it wasn't needed. 

"Okay, let's start!"

...

Harry was beginning to regret this. 

The only reason he wasn't pulling out his hair from stress was because of Hermione, who was getting pretty close to pulling out _her_ hair in stress and Harry figured that _both_ of them freaking out would get nothing done. 

Besides, this was _kind of_ hilarious.

They both decided to have each of them try to make a batch of biscuits and at the end, Harry and Hermione would taste all of them to see which one was the best. To make the competition fair, Harry and Hermione were only allowed to give minimal instruction and help with the oven when needed. 

"Uh, Harry?" Blaise turned, squinting at his measuring cups. "How much sugar goes into this again?" 

"Three fourths cup." Harry answered absently, eyes on Draco who was trying- and _failing-_ to roll out his dough. 

"W _hy is this so bloody hard?"_ He huffed when the dough got stuck to his rolling pin for the seventh time. Pansy looked over and smirked. 

"Aw, Dray. Maybe you can bake them as one single blob!" 

Draco stuck his tongue out at her and her perfectly cut out circles of dough. Harry drifted over and bit back a smile. 

"You should maybe flour the rolling pin before you roll the dough."

"Oh _now_ you tell me!" 

Blaise makes a tutting noise. "You know Draco, it would do you some good to be nice to the judges." 

Harry nodded and opened his mouth to respond when- 

"Ronald! You aren't supposed to eat the dough before it's cooked!" Hermione scolded. " _Honestly_!"

Harry snorted at the sight of Ron with his whole _hand_ in his bowl and then almost died of laughter at the sight of both Crabbe _and_ Goyle doing the same. 

"We aren't?" Crabbe asked, his voice muffled by his hand covering his mouth. 

Hermione turned back to meet Harry's eyes with the most stressed expression he's ever seen. Honestly, he's pretty sure her eye is twitching right now. 

"I mean, it'd do you good to wait until they're cooked?" Harry offered, trying not to laugh while Hermione looked at him like that. 

Goyle sighed. "Then how are we supposed to know if they're _good?"_

Pansy raised an eyebrow at her housemate. "Do you drink the potions we brew before turning them in?" 

Crabbe and Goyle frowned. "No." 

She gave them a look. "Alright then." 

"But that's potions!" Crabbe exclaimed. "I don't know a Sleeping draught from a Swelling solution!" 

Harry heard Blaise remark to Draco- "Well, he'd know if he drank it-" 

"But this is _food!"_ Crabbe continued, a triumphant smile on his face. "And I know food." 

Hermione gaped at Harry, who shrugged and then at Ron, who blushed red and then at Pansy, who shook her head. Ultimately she ended up throwing her hands up in the air and letting it go. 

...

In the end Blaise's biscuits were the best- strictly because, while Crabbe and Goyle's both tasted good, they _ate_ most of the dough before it was cooked. 

Draco's had tasted off but looked perfect- " _Oh no, don't tell me I mixed up salt with sugar."_ _Hermione had winced but nodded. Personally, Harry would eat them._

Ron's tasted amazing but looked like tiny little piles of mud. 

_"It must be your Weasley blood," Draco remarked. Ron tensed like he was preparing for an insult and Hermione had narrowed her eyes. "Hiding something great under something that looks bloody awful."_

_Ron grinned. "Was that a compliment?"_

_"No, I was insulting your Weasley hair, I'm allergic to compliments."_

_"Aw!" Ron exclaimed. "Draco loves me!"_

Pansy's looked absolutely stunning and tasted absolutely horrid.

_"It's only what you deserve." Blaise had commented, hiding a grin as Harry tried his best to swallow down her biscuits, which tasted weirdly like socks._

_"How? I followed all the instructions!"_

_"You made fun of the little dragon's biscuits." Blaise shrugged. "It was just Hogwarts getting back at you."_

_Draco had stuck his tongue out at Pansy and Pansy shoved one of her sock cookies in his mouth._

Harry ended the night feeling and warm and loved, smushed between Hermione and Ron (because they were too tired to _not_ fall asleep on the common room couches) with the rest of Blaise's and Ron's biscuits wrapped up in his pockets and then _Pansy's_ biscuits on the strict promise that he'd give them to Fred and George as retaliation for the time they dyed her ties Gryffindor red. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hurt and comfort and friendship fluff is the Only thing worth writing nowadays!

**Author's Note:**

> this entire thing is inspired by alwayslily22 and Des98's series: The Much Better, Dursley's can Fuck Off, Slytherins are people too au (except I have less plot and more randomness lol)
> 
> ....no seriously, go read it, it's good
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/series/959625


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